


Jekyll and Mr Hyde

by Aleeva



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Professor has a small scene, Reference to my other fic "Crack in the Wall", Swearing, helermo, palsinki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleeva/pseuds/Aleeva
Summary: Every time Helsinki thought he got closer Palermo transformed into his own private Mr Hyde.
Relationships: Helsinki | Mirko Dragic/Palermo | Martín Berrote
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	Jekyll and Mr Hyde

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome back!
> 
> I do not own ANY of the characters and, sadly, La Casa De Papel. This has been written only for fan purposes and the only thing that is mine is the scene that I came up with.
> 
> Just wanted to make this clear and thank you for reading! :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Jekyll and Mr Hyde. One of them a person who has ambition, dreams, and people he cares for. The other insane, a murderer, a man with nothing to lose. Sitting in the monastery's private garden holding the book in his hands he couldn't help but think about the man he found himself interested in. Palermo was a real mystery not only for the gang but even to the Professor who has known him for years. In the beginning, he was quiet and kept to himself. Only later, when he felt more comfortable around them did he come out of his shell and even then his sentences were point on, thoroughly thought out. 

He would be lying if he said he didn't notice the handsome features, the elegant clothes that perfectly hugged his body, the nicely combed hair, and sexy accent in the moment of their meeting. Their first handshake felt like touching a wire that had electricity in it. Helsinki forgot to breathe for a moment and when their eyes finally connected the whole world fell away. There were only him and the handsome stranger whose name he didn't know but would call family from now on. 

The drive to their temporary home went by extremely fast for Helsinki. First, he tried to memorise the road to the monastery from the city and back in case if they ever decided to go for a shopping trip, than to distract himself with the beautiful scenery but all his attempts failed miserably. Even though Palermo sat in a different car as him his mind kept replaying the pictures of their meeting, blue eyes just as clear as the peaceful water below them hugging the cliff.

Thinking back at it now in the quiet of the garden with a nearby nesting songbird as his only companion, he couldn't help but scowl at himself for how foolish he was. It was obvious right from the start that Palermo is not just an engineer who happened to be friends with the Professor and Berlín but so much more, his part in the story taking up many-many pages in the book the trio has written before any of this had started. He was a co-author to their crime novel while the rest of the gang were just well-chosen characters, each with a particular set of skills that helped move the story along. And even though Palermo should be constantly in the spotlight with his explanations and calculations he chose to remain behind everyone to mourn in silence, never leaving the comforting coldness of the shadows.

Indeed, the man was mourning. Who and why no one knows but Helsinki. Not because of Palermo opening up to him but because he caught him looking at the portrait of Berlín multiple times and his eyes were always filled with unshed tears. Not one to interrupt an intimate moment he would just turn around and leave without a sound. Was it friendship, companionship, or love that connected them before the tragedy struck or something even deeper? Helsinki honestly didn't know but if the bird right now would turn to him to say: „You left me alone instead of hurting me, in exchange I will answer the question your heart most wishes to have an answer for,“ he would ask, „Why would anyone be so cruel to rip out all those chapters filled with affection and devotion?“

Sighing, he closed the book. There was no reason to keep on reading if his mind always chose to think about something or someone else.

Just as he decided on going inside and checking on the others he heard footsteps. The person approached him slowly, no hurry or sudden movements, his steps holding a steady rhythm.

Living together for longer periods of time had multiple advantages. Recognising someone by their movements and the noise they made was one of them. Helsinki easily identified everyone, sports shoes, shiners, high heels, made different noises on concrete and on the grass, the material moved in their own unique way, and every step was heavier depending on the weight of the person wearing them. So figuring out his guest's identity was one of the easiest job he had ever had. 

„A real rule-breaker, aren't you, Helsinki? Only the monks are allowed in here.“  
Turning and looking up he found Palermo standing with his back against the same tree he has been leaning against for the past few hours, blue eyes watching him than sliding down to zoom in on the title of the book. He looked handsome, as always.

„Reading something like that in a holy place. Aren't you scared that the monks will throw stones at you?“ came the amused question.

„I think they would have bigger reasons to throw things at me than reading a book,“ smiled Helsinki than he became more serious, „in war nothing is out of bounds.“

His answer was met with silence. Palermo just stood there, smile gone, not even his usual mischief promising grin remained.

„Look at the bright side, hell must be a much more exciting place than heaven“, said Palermo with a grin, his usual bravado quickly put back in place. At that Helsinki couldn't help but chuckle himself. With all the crazy fuckers down there it would be quite an interesting experience indeed. „So what are you doing here all alone? Did your inner bear wake up and demand you steal some raspberries from the monks?“

Helsinki snorted and put his book on the grass. 

„Just wanted a quiet place to read at and ended up here. The girls are noisy today.“

The man above him hummed and for Helsinki's biggest surprise sat down next to him on the soft grass, shoulders almost touching. He couldn't help but notice how the breeze played with Palermo's hair, his fingers itching for contact.

„I would call them annoying any day but they're baking a cake for Cincinnati's birthday so I will be generous and let this one slide.“

One sentence. Only one simple sentence was enough to throw Helsinki off gourd. The usually ill-tempered Palermo who everyone thought incapable of feelings said those words with such kindness, such fondness, that Helsinki lost his breath instantly. All he wanted at that moment was to wrap his arms around the other man, to hold him tight and never let go. To keep him warm and safe so he would never feel the need to hide behind that cold mask he wore all the time again. 

Noticing the unblinking stare he received from Helsinki Palermo reached up and cupped one side of Helsinki's face in his hand. He sure could feel the small, quick breathtaking that followed his action but he only whispered:

„How absolutely interesting I must be if you let the sun burn your eyes out for me...“

Blink, he was supposed to blink but what if in that one second everything around them falls apart? Helsinki wasn't ready to lose this intimate moment between them with birdsong in their ears, the sun warming their skin, soft hand caressing his left cheek. But on the other hand, he needs to be brave, is that not what he told Nairobi?

„You have a soft spot for him in your heart, don't you?“

His words came out barely as a whisper but Palermo still heard them, all his senses locked upon Helsinki.

„Not at all,“ Palermo defended himself instantly although Helsinki noticed that his voice lacked the venom it carried most of the time, he sounded calm but staged like he practised the words over and over again in front of a mirror, „snotty little bastards who can't even use the bathroom on their own.“ 

„I don't want to worry you but that sounds fake,“ said Helsinki while inching closer, thighs and shoulders properly touching. 

Palermo just shrugged.

„Only because you're looking at it from the wrong angle, big guy.“ 

When there was no further explanation Helsinki raised one eyebrow. Palermo seemed reluctant, maybe he didn't feel comfortable to discuss something personal so Helsinki didn't push the topic. If he decided to share his opinions and believes with him he would gladly sit in silence and listen to him until his last breath and if he chose to remain in the shadows he would stay by his side and wait patiently.

A few moments passed in complete silence between the two, only the birds sang their song steadfastly and finally, Palermo gave up against the intense stare.

„I would never want a kid of my own, no, there is too much pressure, too many things you can fuck up,“ said Palermo with the most serious face Helsinki ever saw on him, „and if you do you damage your kid for an entire damn lifetime.“ Here he looked at the other man, eyes meeting, each word coming out more quietly than the one before. „And I would need to live with the knowledge that I caused their suffering.“ 

Palermo, no, not Palermo but the nameless man behind the mask looked at Helsinki with such honesty his heart started to ache. What has happened to him before he took up the role of a heartless bastard? Why was he so afraid of creating human connections? Whatever lay in his past it must have been pure torture for his young, developing soul. 

„We are human, Palermo, we're not perfect. We always fuck up and the stupid ones use their failures to learn, but the smart ones learn from the mistakes others make.“

His words were met with silence. Palermo's eyes left him and dropped to the ground, fingers gently playing with Helsinki's beard. The wheels in his head were furiously turning and Helsinki was quite sure he hadn't noticed what he was doing. 

„The things that happen to us in childhood stay with us forever but they don't define us, Palermo,“ he whispered softly.

Palermo's head suddenly shot up. He looked like a deer caught in the headlight, his eyes filled with nervousness and fear... he let his mask slip.

Just then he noticed where his hand still lingered and started to pull his hand away as if he got burnt, but Helsinki caught it mid-air and rested their joined hands on his thigh, not letting go. Palermo went completely still, he looked like a greek statue made out of the most shining marble, features frozen. 

Every time Helsinki thought he got closer to the man it was like he drank a magic potion that helped him transform into his own private Mr Hyde. This time was no different. The change started in front of his bare eyes, the puzzle pieces that made out Palermo got glued together barely in a second. Sincere eyes became cold, distant, and unreadable, soft features turned into emotionless, harsh lines, the mouth that laughed only moments before squeezed tightly shut.

„Oh, you really think you know me just because I let you fuck me a few times, ha, Helsinki?“ Palermo ripped his hand out of Helsinki's so suddenly and with such force that he wouldn't have been able to keep him there even if he wanted to. Jumping on his feet Palermo took a few steps away, his voice becoming lower and more dangerous with each passing moment. „Please, do tell me, when did you decide to cure my pure shattered soul and then live and love together happily until death do us part? Hm? When? After the first or the second time you came in my mouth?!“ 

Not one to give up easily Helsinki stood up too. He stayed away from Palermo and said absolutely nothing. Because of his features, people often thought him a brute without a brain but Helsinki was smarter than they gave him credit for. He knew that poking a wounded animal is equal to a death sentence and Palermo looked like one. There is no way he would offer him a challenge, that will make him lash out even more. Instead, Helsinki did the only thing that came to his mind.

„Everyone deserves to be loved, Palermo,“ he whispered softly.

And that was the top of the ice-berg. Palermo's shoulders became tense, muscles flexing ready for an attack. He looked like an ox getting ready to kill the red flag waving matador. 

„Palermo?“

Just as the shorter of the two took his first steps towards Helsinki the Professor's voice called him from a distance. Palermo stopped dead on his tracks, took a deep, calming breath, and relaxed his fingers that formed a fist ready to punch. For Helsinki's biggest surprise he fixed his clothes and left to meet with the Professor without ever looking back.

As a famous song once stated „nobody said it was easy“ and that could be correct for anything. Falling in love with someone like Palermo took a lot of patience and understanding but after gaining a quick glance at the kind soul behind the thick mask Helsinki had all the faith he needed. He made a crack on the wall around Palermo's heart and he will wait as long as he needs to make the hole big enough for him to get through.


End file.
